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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · lash · wake · charge · land · suit · bass · cue

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. charge — in control
  3. bass — low music
  4. cue — a signal
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wake — a trail
  7. suit — in cards
  8. land — a country
  9. charge — a price
  10. land — ground
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. land — to come down
  13. cue — a hint
  14. suit — clothes
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bass — the fish
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com